NVSTOY Presenters

Three Carson City Educators to Present at Nevada State Teachers of the Year Conference
Posted on 09/14/2022
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The Carson City School District is pleased to announce three Carson City educators will be highlighted as presenters at the Nevada State Teachers of the Year’s (NVSTOY) Early Career Educator Leadership Conference scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 14 and 15, 2022.

Lacey Carey, instructional coach for the Carson City School District, Joanna Kaiser, GATE implementation specialist for the Carson City School District and Nicole Witkowski, music educator at Fritsch Elementary School, will present uplifting and actionable professional learning designed specifically for Nevada educators early in their careers (third through sixth year of teaching).

The free virtual conference will offer professional and personal practices that help make teaching a joyful and fulfilling career. The presentations will focus primarily on three concepts: communication (building relationships with and expanding advocacy for students, families and educators), self-care (actively preserving or improving physical, mental and emotional well-being) and reflective practice (learning from experience and actions to improve outcomes). 

Lacey Carey is an Instructional Coach working with elementary school educators at Fritsch Elementary School. She is a National Board Certified educator with more than a decade of experience in grades K-6. She holds endorsements in both teaching Gifted and Talented students and English Language Learners. She earned her master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Nevada and also teaches classes for endorsement in gifted and talented education through the Northwest Regional Professional Development Program.

Joanna Kaiser has been a teacher for 22 years including 18 years in the classroom and 4 years as the GATE Implementation Specialist for Carson City School District. Joanna is a life-long learner and has her master’s in literacy as well as her National Board Certification in “Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood.” She was also honored as “Teacher of the Year” for Carson City School District in 2019 and was a finalist for Nevada Teacher of the Year.

Nicole Witkowski is a Music Educator at Fritsch Elementary School where she teaches general music to kindergarten through fifth grade students. Nicole was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Penn. where she earned a bachelor’s in Music Education at Duquesne University (2017). Upon graduation, Nicole moved to Carson City and has been teaching there since. Nicole continued her studies and earned a master’s in Administration from Grand Canyon University (2020). During her time in the Carson City School District, Nicole was recognized as “Rookie of the Year” (2019), and the “Rotary Teacher of the Month” (2022). She enjoys working with elementary students in Carson City and hopes to pursue administration in the future.

About NVSTOY

In December of 2018, the Nevada State Teachers of the Year (NVSTOY) created an organization of uniquely qualified education professionals committed to enhancing the educational experience in the Silver State. As a chapter, NVSTOY networks with organizations that impact educational practice and policy to support education professionals and their learners. They proudly teach Nevada’s future today. NVSTOY is an independent organization that provides a network for its members who represent and advocate for teachers and students in the state of Nevada.

ABOUT Carson City School District

Located in Nevada’s capital, Carson City School District offers public education to approximately 7,600 students throughout Carson City. The district includes 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 alternative high school and 1 comprehensive high school. Carson City School District boasts many successes including impressive graduation rates, strict safety measures, programs for gifted students and advanced-placement classes, among several others. In a joint venture with Western Nevada College, the Carson City School District Jump Start College program allows students to complete their senior year of high school and freshman year of college simultaneously. For more information, visit carsoncityschools.com.